Jabra BT8040

TechHive Rating

This reasonably priced Bluetooth headset has solid audio and can connect to two phones simultaneously.

Jabra's nicely designed BT8040 can connect to two phones simultaneously, so if have two phones, you won't have to resync them each time you switch between them. A bundled adapter enables the $70 (as of February 15, 2008) BT8040 to charge via USB. Unfortunately, its audio quality wasn't as good as that of other headsets I tested during the couple of weeks.

The unit, black with silver trim, looks subtle in the ear and weighs very little (0.35 ounce). Its compact, angled shape is about half the length of my thumb, and its buttons are well placed: a bidirectional volume button sits at the top of the headset, and a small call button occupies the middle. Instead of offering an earhook, the BT8040 provides small, medium, and large rubber earbuds with a loop on the end that's supposed to wedge into your ear canal. The fit wasn't good for my small ears, but it stayed in place if I didn't move around too much.

With the BT8040, you get an AC power adapter and a handy USB charger. The headset can connect to two phones simultaneously--a feature I tested using a Motorola Razr2 V9 and a Nokia E62. As I was listening to music on the Razr2, I was able to receive a call on the E62. The music paused when I switched to the E62 and then resumed when I ended the call. Since I'm a single-phone kind of person, I don't find this feature terribly useful, but anyone who switches between phones is likely to feel differently.

Callers sounded slightly muffled, but that could be due to the poor fit in my ear. We could hear each other clearly even in a crowded train station.

The Jabra BT8040 sounds okay and has a few nice conveniences. But try before you buy, if possible, to see whether it fits your ear.

This story, "Jabra BT8040 Bluetooth Headset" was originally published by
PCWorld.

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At a Glance

Jabra BT8040

TechHive Rating

This reasonably priced Bluetooth headset has solid audio and can connect to two phones simultaneously.